1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the packaging and retail display of consumer gate systems, which for purposes of this document is defined as fences, gates and barriers, such as those that are used to prevent small children from wandering into dangerous areas.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Consumer gate systems such as fences, gates and barriers are used in households as well as institutions such as day care centers for such purposes as preventing small children and pets from wandering into dangerous areas such as stairways, and to keep pets confined to desired areas within a building.
Many different types of consumer gate systems are commercially available. Some consumer gate systems are designed to be mounted within a doorway using a compression or interference fit. Others are designed to be permanently mounted using fixation devices such as brackets and screws. Some consumer gate systems include a pivoting movable gate that is attached to a frame using a hinge assembly. Others are designed to fold or collapse. Still others are simply a fixed barrier. For purposes of this document, the word “gate” will be defined as including all types of consumer gate systems as well as equivalent systems that are designed for use in commercial and institutional settings.
Consumer gate systems tend to be packaged in large cardboard boxes for shipping and retail purposes. Because of the inherent shape and size of the product, such boxes tend to have large, substantially planar front and rear major surfaces and relatively narrow top, bottom and side surfaces. In order to conserve valuable retail space, the boxes are typically stacked edgewise, with the major surfaces in contact with each other, on a horizontal surface such as a shelf or the floor of a retail facility, which leaves only one of the side surfaces visible to a consumer who is in the adjacent aisle.
Unfortunately, the extremely limited size of the exposed visible side surface has made it difficult for manufacturers and retailers to communicate sufficient information to the consumer that may be relevant to his or her decision-making process. Typically, a label or printed laminated coating has been applied to the visible surface that may include a brief description and a small thumbnail sketch of the product. Unfortunately, the consumer is often left guessing about many aspects of the product, such as the principle of operation, the general robustness and quality of the product and the materials that are used to manufacture the product, until after it is purchased and taken out of the cardboard box.
Consumer gate systems also tend to be relatively large, and may be awkward and heavy for some consumers to pick up and handle. When they are stacked together edgewise or on top of each other with a plurality of like products, it is often difficult for consumers to pull them outwardly in order to extract them from the stack and place them on a shopping cart. This may even deter some customers from purchasing a given item.
A need exists for a packaged gate system that better informs the consumers as to the nature of the system when a plurality of like systems are stacked together within a retail establishment. A need also exists for a packaged gate system that is more convenient for consumers to grasp and handle, both while shopping and while transporting the system to its final location of intended use.